State parks. Hunter education. Even a magazine targeted at outdoorsmen. Each is likely to feel the effect of a looming 21 to 25 percent budget cut for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

The most obvious of the reductions, which could amount to as much as $162 million over the biennium, will cut into the operations of state parks. Both the initial House and Senate budget proposals call for the agency to cease operating seven state parks scattered across the state — from Lockhart State Park to Big Spring State Park in Howard County to the Wyler Aerial Tramway in El Paso ...

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Actually, come to think of it, if we are in a financial bind and parks are being cut, WE, the concerned Texans should donate some time to help out with maintenance: if you want to visit and enjoy, here is a garbage bag / rake / trimmer. .. you name it, and pitch in while you are there. Small price to pay.

Frankly the State should not be in the physical magazine publication business AT ALL and the full cost of hunting education needs to be born by the hunters themselves. Both activities have private sector alternatives that should be relied on.

Actually, part of hunter education is available online. The problem is, there are certain aspects that can only be taught in person. I just wonder what happened to all of the taxes on hunting equipment that are supposed to go to TPWD. Oh, wait, they have never gotten all of that revenue.

"If I had a message for the legislature," Bezanson of the Texas Conservation Alliance said, "it would be: I understand you've got a serious problem here, but try to minimize the damage."

This serious problem has been self-inflicted by Rick Perry and the GOP but the middle class and poor are going to feel the pain.

March 10, 2011 @ 4:03 p.m.

Texas Herper

It won't come close to replacing all their lost funding, but TPWD could raise some much needed funds by passing bill that is currently before the state legislature. This bill would add a reptile and amphibian stamp to the various optional stamps that can be purchased with Texas hunting licenses and re-open several thousands of acres of public right of ways that were historically used by reptile and amphibian enthusiasts. These historic herping grounds were closed to herping when TPWD and the state legislature banned reptile and amphibian hunting in those areas a few years back. TPWD could generate more revenue for themselves and recover the hundreds of thousands of dollars of reptile based tourism income that used to be spent in Texas but is now going to other states. I should add that most reptile and amphibian "hunting" or "herping" as it is also called is catch, photograph, collect data, and release. Only a very tiny percentage involves removing the animals from the wild.

Hopefully TPWD can weather this storm and come out stronger and more effective in protecting our wild lands, wildlife, and the rights of Texans to enjoy them.